PRINTRethink your drink
Choose a water bottle that is safe for your health
It’s time to break up with your plastic and switch to a reusable water bottle, which is safe for the environment, your health and your wallet.
January 11, 2010 | 11:00 a.m. CST
Whether you’re a student trekking across campus and enduring tedious classes or a cyclist or runner getting your workout in on the MKT Trail, water helps you through your day. But are you one of those people who buy water from a vending machine or otherwise use disposable bottles? It’s time to break up with your plastic and switch to a reusable water bottle, which is safe for the environment, your health and your wallet.
In August, according to the St. Petersburg Times, Nestle’s plastic water bottle profits fell 2.7 percent during the first half of the year. In December 2008, PepsiCo (which makes Aquafina bottled water) cut 3,300 jobs and closed six bottling plants due to a decrease in plastic water bottle sales. This isn’t too shocking considering that with the current economic situation among things to go could be something as small as bottled water.
But even reusable water bottles have come under scrutiny in the past two years. Bisphenol A, also known as BPA, is a chemical that is used to make polycarbonate plastic, but can produce epoxy resins: toxins that can seep from the plastic and into your body, causing type II diabetes heart disease and abnormal liver function. Now consumers are looking to purchase water bottles made from BPA-free plastic, stainless steel and aluminum. Here’s a look at three popular choices.
Courtesy of CamelBakCamelBak .75L (25 ounces) "Choose To Re-Use" Better Bottle (BPA-Free)
Price: $13.99 — Dick’s Sporting Goods
Type of cap: The CamelBak bottle sports a straw that only takes three easy steps: Flip the cap open, bite the straw to create a valve for the water, and enjoy.
Pros: It is lightweight, dishwasher safe and, most importantly, BPA-free.
Cons: The water bottle sweats profusely if you put ice in it, and sometimes the straw can get slightly annoying. MU student Nicolette Melvin who owns a pink Camelbak says, “I just know that mine sweats like crazy. I can’t put it in my backpack or else it gets everything wet.” Although sweating might be one of the water bottle’s flaws, knowing that you’re drinking from a water bottle that won’t give you serious medical bills is refreshing. “I bought the water bottle because it was BPA free, and I wasn’t sure if my Nalgene bottle was entirely safe,” Melvin says.
Courtesy of SiggSigg Dark Blue Traveler 1.0L (33 ounces)
Price: $24.99—Dick’s Sporting Goods
Type of cap: Sigg’s bottletops remain consistent with a lid that screws off the top, giving drinkers either a wide-mouth or standard opening to drink out of.
Pros: Sigg bottles have a nontoxic liner (free of leaching) that has been tested in the U.S and Europe to ensure the customer’s safety is not at risk. When you’re searching for BPA-free, Sigg is a stainless steel option that will keep your water chilled. The Sigg bottle does not sweat as bad as the CamelBak and has a slightly harder outside, which also allows you to feel the exact temperature of your beverage through the aluminum. Speaking of aluminum, don’t freak out from all the rumors you’ve heard that says aluminum isn’t safe. The Alpine Shop store manager Brennan Vanmatre says, “Aluminum Sigg bottles used to be made with a molded liner that did have a trace of BPA, but it was very limited. Sigg recalled all the old bottles, and people can bring in their water bottle and exchange it for a product that’s not harmful.” Another thing that sets Sigg bottles apart are the fun designs and colors. There are bright metallic colors, swirls, flowers, hearts, trees and other designs you’d never dream of. Grab a Sigg, and show off your style.
Cons: Sigg bottles have a more in-depth cleaning process than simply sticking them in the dishwasher. Although you technically could put it in the dishwasher, the company doesn’t recommend it because it will not clean the entire opening of the bottle. Instead, Sigg recommends first rinsing the bottle with warm water and soap, allowing it to air dry before using baking soda and distilled white vinegar for deep cleaning. If you want to go all out and make sure your bottle is spotless, Sigg even sells cleaning tablets and brushes for intense cleanings.
Courtesy of Klean Kanteen Klean Kanteen 0.8 L (27 oz.) Water Bottle
Price: $13.99—Walt’s Bicycle Fitness and Wilderness Co.
Type of cap: Like the Sigg water bottles, the Klean Kanteen has a screw off lid, but it remains attached around the neck of the bottle so you don’t accidentally misplace the lid (or worse, drop it.)
Pros: Made from stainless steel, the bottle is durable, 100% recyclable, has no toxic inner lining and the mouth wide enough to fit ice cubes. Similar to the Sigg bottle, the Klean Kanteen does not sweat as much as a plastic bottle and helps maintain the temperature of your drink. However, contrary to the Sigg water bottles, the Klean Kanteen is dishwasher safe (and cheaper), which makes it a leading candidate for reusable water bottles.
Cons: Because the bottle does have a wide lid, you have to be a bit more careful when dispensing the water, unless you’d rather wear it than drink it.
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